Weird and Wonderful Nature in Costa Rica

In the spirit of Halloween it wouldn’t be right if we did not take a look at the weird and wonderful nature of the beautiful and diverse country of Costa Rica. Home to more than 500,000 species, Costa Rica has one of the highest biodiversity in the world but this also means that there are some weird and wonderful examples of nature in Costa Rica. Here is a list of our top 5 weird and wonderful nature in Costa Rica which you should keep an eye and an ear out for during your vacation in Costa Rica.

Spiny-Backed Orbweaver Spider

Don’t worry if you see these slightly strange looking spiders, they are more harmless than they look. Obviously you shouldn’t go up and begin to caress it but by all means admire them in trees, shrubs and flowers from a distance. The weird Spiny-Backed Orbweaver Spider characteristically has 6 pointed projections on its back and are usually white or yellow in color with black spots. If you manage to catch a glimpse of this spider during your vacation in Costa Rica, be quick with your camera as they do not live very long. In fact, their life only lasts until reproduction, so catch a snap of the spider whilst it’s still alive!

Although this is by no means the strangest looking on the list, this medium-sized bird of prey has a distinctive feature that sets it out from anything we have ever heard before. As its name suggests, the Laughing Falcon appears to be enjoying life every time it decides to use its loud voice. Their call can be quite contagious and can lead you to join in and laugh along with the Laughing Falcon whilst bird watching in Costa Rica. Add some laughter to your day, just listen here and you won’t be able to stop yourself from smiling.

One of our favorite creatures in the world, the Three-Toed Sloth certainly lives by the Pura Vida ideology. The lethargic Three-Toed Sloth’s life revolves around eating and sleeping; only stopping to descend trees to go to the toilet. Living and hanging around in the trees of the Costa Rican rain forest, once they get to the rain forest floor, they cannot walk so if you are lucky enough to see them, you will see this strangely cute and incredibly interesting creature sluggishly drag and pull themselves along the floor. The sloth’s greenish color and its daily inactivity acts as an effective camouflage and when hanging quietly they resemble a large bundle of leaves, so keep a careful and trained eye out for these amazing rain forest creatures.

Although this is by any means weird, the Blue-Morpho Butterfly embraces the very meaning and essence of the words wonderful and beautiful. Whilst struggling to find the words to describe such an attractive and striking butterfly you may also struggle to catch a photo of the Blue-Morpho’s wings. The blue upper wings interchanges with the brown underside making it difficult to spot but when it does show its brilliant blue wings, make sure to be quick with your camera. The wings of Costa Rica’s favored butterfly have an almost metallic appearance and one can only look on in awe at one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet.

This cute little frog is a unique creature for many reasons however; its ability to morph is one that is truly impressive. As quickly as you can change your clothes from a day exploring the Costa Rican rain forest to a romantic evening in your luxury lodge, the Strawberry Poison Dart Frog can change from red bodied with blue legs to green with black spots to navy blue. Take care when trying to find these frogs as they are poisonous and toxic, creating its poisonous defenses from natural elements it finds in the rain forest. Admire from a distance and enjoy capturing images of the beautiful and small Strawberry Poison Dart Frog.

If you’re interested in seeing weird and wonderful nature, Costa Rica is the place to go. Even though Costa Rica is a small country, it is packed full with the finest and most varied nature in the world for you to enjoy.